Foy, NZ to skip Paracycling World Champs

Dargaville's Emma Foy and her fellow New Zealand Para-cyclists will not be attending the 2017 Paracycling Track World Championships in March. Photo/Getty Images

Dargaville's Emma Foy and the rest of New Zealand's paracyclists will not be competing at the 2017 Paracycling Track World Championships.

In a post on her and Laura Thompson's Facebook page, Foy said there were a variety of reasons for not attending the meet in Los Angeles.

"It is disappointing to learn only seven weeks out, without any prior indication, that a 2017 Paracycling Track World Championship will be held in March this year," the post read.

"Without time to organise personnel, training and budget for such a campaign, athletes and countries will be unable to attend thus decreasing the value of the event and titles won."

Foy also cited the current political climate in the USA with Donald Trump's controversial presidency as other reasons for not attending.

"With the current Trump 'ban' I feel a world event in Los Angeles is not truly a 'world' event. Needless to say I won't be going," the post said.

New Zealand will not be sending any paracyclists over to the World Championships next month.

Paralympics New Zealand communications manager Melissa Dawson said that the limited time given to prepare for a world competition ultimately made the decision for them.

"The International Cycling Union (UCI) came out with all the dates for all competitions last year and the Los Angeles meet was not included," she said.

"Seven weeks before this event they came out with all the dates and information. With that in mind while planning high-performance events, we couldn't send anyone to this event at all.

"There will be numerous events leading into the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics for our athletes to gain qualification and there will also potentially be opportunities to gain Commonwealth Games entry."

There is controversy surrounding President Trump's recent executive order which severely restricts immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries, suspends all refugee admission for 120 days, and bars all Syrian refugees indefinitely.

Dawson said this did not sway their decision to not go either way.

"The Trump factor didn't come into it. It isn't relevant to our decision to not go at all," she said.

"At the end of the day, you can't mount a successful high-performance campaign with only seven weeks of preparation.

Foy is coming off a successful Paralympic campaign, securing a silver medal in the women's B 3000m individual pursuit and a bronze in the road cycling women's race with her partner Laura Thompson.